Rep. Blackburn: Primetime TV Will Put IRS Arrogance on Full Display

The House Oversight Committee's decision to hold its latest IRS hearing during primetime television viewing hours will allow the American public to see the agency's arrogance and refusal to accept responsibility, Rep. Marsha Blackburn says.

"One of the things that is so smart of Chairman [Darrell Issa] to do is to hold this during prime time because it probably will lead the ratings tonight,'' the Tennessee Republican told The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.

"It will be a great opportunity for the American people to see on display the arrogance of the bureaucracy and I hope many of them will realize why we work so hard every day … to make certain that we reduce the size of the federal government.''

The committee is probing allegations that former IRS official Lois Lerner and other agencies employees were targeting tea party groups seeking tax-exempt status.

Last week, the IRS said key emails being sought by the committee had been accidently erased when a computer crashed.

Blackburn, vice chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, doesn't believe it.

"[The emails] absolutely exist and what they're trying to do is keep their friend Lois out of jail,'' Blackburn said.

"Their arguments don’t hold water and the American people notice they don't and they know that if the IRS cannot find those [emails] … that certainly the NSA can."